Learn just how easy it can be to create your own flower bed edging in your garden. Find ideas, inspiration and helpful tips to get you started.
21.02.2026
Flower bed edging creates different zones in a garden and provides structure
Wood, stone or plants - there are a wide variety of options when it comes to creating your flowerbed edging.
If you would like to edge your flower bed with a carpet of flowers, you should choose plants that naturally form clumps.
If you would prefer to surround the bed with a hedge, Germander is a great choice.
If you decide to create some stone garden bed edging, it is important to cut your lawn edge first.
A lawn edge for flowerbed edging is typically around 20 to 70 cm deep. The exact height depends on the type of material you are using to edge the bed, and how much stability you need for the foundation.
A flower bed surround can be made from a variety of materials. Popular stone options include natural stone, paving stone, bricks, clinker bricks or fieldstone. You can also make garden bed edging from wood such as logs, wooden planks, tree trunks, willow or bamboo. Or for a more natural look you can opt for a border made from decorative, fragrant plants. The choice is yours!
Enclosing a flower bed is not just a decorative exercise, it creates a clear visual separation between different areas of the garden, making the layout more defined and organised. Edging also serves a practical purpose by dividing areas such as a vegetable patch or a perennial bed from the rest of the lawn, helping to prevent roots from growing out of control.
If you want to define and structure different areas of your garden, whether in a practical, natural or artistic way, you can easily do so with garden border edging that suits your taste and vision. Here's how to get started.
So what are your options when it comes to making your own flower bed edging?
Let your imagination run wild, and get creative! Would you like to make your garden bed edging from stone, such as natural stone, paving stone, bricks, clinker bricks or fieldstone? Or would you prefer to use wood, such as logs, wooden planks, tree trunks, willow or bamboo? Perhaps you’d like a garden border made from attractive plants that smell great?
How to decide? These questions will help narrow down the options:
How is your garden laid out?
If you are going to make the flower bed edging yourself, will it be more decorative or functional?
Do you want your flower bed edging to be eye-catching or should it blend in?
Ultimately, it’s all about the bigger picture. Do the different materials blend well with one another and do they contribute to a harmonious overall appearance for your garden?
Whatever kind of garden bed edging you decide on, good preparation is essential.
First measure the space in your garden, make a rough sketch and mark out where you want the flower bed boundary to be. Then you can create the shape of the desired flower bed edging in the garden using a garden hose or some twine. This will give you a good idea of where to cut the lawn edge, so you can begin edging off the grass.
Wooden stakes are a stylish and practical option for creating a flower bed edge. There are a variety of designs available, and they are ideal for compensating for small differences in height along the bed edge. Naturally weather-resistant and durable woods such as native oak or robinia work particular well, as do coniferous timber and pressure-treated wood.
Douglas fir and larch are also a good choice for a flower bed surround, but we always recommend using wood that is sustainably sourced.
Eco tip: use wood sourced within Europe to keep transport routes to a minimum. Additional PEFC or FSC certification also ensures that the wood is grown sustainably.
Short, pointed stakes that you can drive directly into the soil are adequate for a flowerbed surround; these should be driven into the soil to 30 to 50 percent of their total length.
You can shorten them using a handy power tool such as the STIHL MSA 120 cordless chainsaw. If the main purpose of your bed surround is to block roots from spreading, you should drive the stakes at least 60 cm into the soil.
It is best to use a heavy hammer to drive the stakes into the soil. However, please ensure you protect the head with a board or cover it with a protective sleeve as the wood will rot more quickly if the surface is damaged.
Naturally weather-resistant and particularly durable woods such as native oak or robinia, coniferous timber and pressure-treated wood are especially suitable for making flowerbed edging. Douglas fir and larch are also good choices.
Reuse & recycle
Old bricks and clinker bricks work wonderfully for flower bed surrounds, and they offer a great opportunity to reuse or recycle materials that might otherwise go to waste. Their weathered look also adds instant character and charm, giving your garden a more natural, lived‑in feel.
First, create a foundation from sand and gravel so that the stones will sit straight and cannot sink. Allow a depth of 20cm plus the height of the stones. This means they can be positioned better and ensures that no grass can grow into the bed.
When placing the stones on the foundation, make sure that the top of each stone is flush with its neighbours and that the front edges form a line. Finally, use a wooden block and a rubber mallet to adjust them to the correct height.
To create a clean transition from lawn to flower bed, make sure the edge is well-defined and remove any overgrowth so that the grass can't grow into your bed from the outside.
It is especially important to cut a lawn edge when using stone to enclose your flower bed, as this will save you from cutting the grass back by hand and means you can mow conveniently along the edge.
Natural stone such as sandstone, limestone, granite, travertine or cast stone, plus old bricks and clinker bricks are all excellent choices for making bed edging. They are durable and and will give your garden an extra touch of character.
Plants that grow in clumps such as geraniums (crane’s bill), aubrieta, alyssum and stonecrop are all excellent choices for a flower bed border if you prefer your garden to have a soft, natural look . Carpets of flowers will spread around your bed, helping define the edge of the bed with bright colours.
Bushy lavender and wild thyme are also great options, especially if you want o attract pollinators as they are fragrant and rich in nectar and pollen, helping you create a bee-friendly garden.
Or you could frame your flower bed with a neatly clipped hedge. Germander makes a great substitute for boxwood, which can be somewhat unreliable. Germander stays evergreen, tolerates drought well and is generally very hardy.
Just like boxwood, however, it does require regular shaping, which is best done in July.
You should always choose plants that are well suited to their position, whether it offers full sun, partial shade or full shade. If your soil is too dense, you can use sand or gravel to thin it out.
Tip: If you're hoping to grow a wider selection of kitchen herbs and vegetables, a raised bed could be a great alternative to a conventional vegetable patch.
Bushy perennials and aromatic herbs such as thyme, lavender, aubrieta, alyssum and stonecrop, make excellent choices for edging a flower bed. Low hedging plants such as germander or boxwood can also create a beautifully defined border for your flower beds.
